Great Lakes summer trips

boltman said:
Ok anybody start planning their summer Great Lakes vacations yet? We would love to go to North Channel but were waiting to see lake levels first !
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Just go and be sure to reduce chart depths by a couple feet. Enjoy the trip, wish work wasn't in the way or we would do it again!! (last trip there was 2009).
 
We're hoping to hit North Channel this year too. (Killarney area)
 
We are planning a trip across Lake Michigan from Milwaukee to Grand Haven sometime this summer. Other than that, we will spend some weekends in ports to the north and south of Milwaukee. We will use our 2 free passes we got at a boat show for transient dockage in Racine.
 
From our home port of Munising we're planning a trip up to the Keweenaw, Isle Royal and Thunder Bay Ontario.
 
Although it will likely be April I will be taking a 12 Meter Trojan International from St. Claire Shores up and over down to New Buffalo.
 
Leland, Charlevoix, Harbor Springs, Beaver Island, South Manitou, Frankfort.
 
Bella Luna said:
We are planning a trip across Lake Michigan from Milwaukee to Grand Haven sometime this summer. Other than that, we will spend some weekends in ports to the north and south of Milwaukee. We will use our 2 free passes we got at a boat show for transient dockage in Racine.
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Come on up to Sheboygan, It's a very nice marina. We were planning on heading south to Milwaukee some time this summer too. How is the dockage situation during summerfest?
 
We are doing the Playpen in Chicago, Holland, Grand Haven then up to Traverse City. Will be the last week in June.

For Forth of July we are going to Caseville for two days. Will also hit Put In Bay later in the summer.

After that will be Lake of the Ozarks in July!
 
We do not have the big boats, sorry yachts, you do but we plan on going to Michigan for the 3rd consecutive summer. I haul our boat to Muskegon State Park-Lake Michigan side and my significant other hauls the camper. We go up for the last two weeks in July. We would rather go in August because the water tends to be warmer but the kids go to school in the beginning of August.

I have been camping in Michigan since the early 70's but never had a boat until the last few years. We camp on the Michigan side because the beach is awesome and you do not need AC during the day or night because you're camping under the tree canopy. If we camped on the Muskegon Lake campground we would be able to park the boat in the water but it would get too hot during the day at the campsite. Not everyone goes on the boat everyday.

Last year I did notice the water was low and I hope it does not go lower. If it does I will not have the easy 3 mile drive to the Snug Harbor Ramp. The wife usually helps me put the boat in and then she heads back to the campground . If it is a nice day I take the 20 minute boat ride to the Lake Michigan Campground beach.

I have camped at 15 or more state campgrounds and I like Muskegon the best. The hardest thing is getting the campsite you want. The sites become available 180 days in advance and in order for me to get the site I want I have to be on-line at 9:00 A.M. sharp, 180 days in advance. The site I get is large enough for me to park the Suburban with the boat attached, the camper and 2 or 3 other cars depending on who meets us.
 
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Muskegon is a great campgrount indeed!

MrHappy said:
We do not have the big boats, sorry yachts, you do but we plan on going to Michigan for the 3rd consecutive summer. I haul our boat to Muskegon State Park-Lake Michigan side and my significant other hauls the camper. We go up for the last two weeks in July. We would rather go in August because the water tends to be warmer but the kids go to school in the beginning of August.

I have been camping in Michigan since the early 70's but never had a boat until the last few years. We camp on the Michigan side because the beach is awesome and you do not need AC during the day or night because you're camping under the tree canopy. If we camped on the Muskegon Lake campground we would be able to park the boat in the water but it would get too hot during the day at the campsite. Not everyone goes on the boat everyday.

Last year I did notice the water was low and I hope it does not go lower. If it does I will not have the easy 3 mile drive to the Snug Harbor Ramp. The wife usually helps me put the boat in and then she heads back to the campground . If it is a nice day I take the 20 minute boat ride to the Lake Michigan Campground beach.

I have camped at 15 or more state campgrounds and I like Muskegon the best. The hardest thing is getting the campsite you want. The sites become available 180 days in advance and in order for me to get the site I want I have to be on-line at 9:00 A.M. sharp, 180 days in advance. The site I get is large enough for me to park the Suburban with the boat attached, the camper and 2 or 3 other cars depending on who meets us.
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Sturgeon Bay, Leland, Traverse Bay area, once at Elk Rapids our plan may be to rent a runabout and go to the sandbar on Torch Lake. On the way back we will hit Frankfort and come back across. If we can swing it again this year we may keep the boat in Sturgeon Bay for a month or so after our vacation and have mini ones up there for a little while. Come on spring!
 
In Elk Rapids they will take your dingy by truck to the ramp on Elk Lake, about two blocks away, had fun spending half the day criusing around, just schedule with the staff when you arrive, left the staff a nice tip for their trouble. I forget the Harbormasters name but she is great.
 
Grand Haven, Pentwater, Charlevoix, Boyne City, Petosky, Mackinac (every 3 years or so, Frankfort, Traverse City. Will change a couple of destinations if the lake cooperates and we can head to Door county. 2 weeks. Wish it was longer.
 
We are going to elk rapids this year too,just turned a 60 foot slip there for permanent dockage too. Going to try to get to detour and maybe into the channel , great business to start up picking up yachters and bring them home so they can leave their boats north and continuing on after the week ends. Sum escape we feel your pain business gets in the way all the time, we Are working hard to get enough cash to retire and enjoy like or maybe just take 4 day weekends off yeah know. Here's another question , who really has time to go boating for more than just the weekend besides Frank???
 
Escanaba, Michigan has their Sesquicentennial (150) Celebration and is scheduled for July 5th through the 13th. Special events and activities will be scheduled throughout the week. Link: http://esky150.org/celebration/index.html

Escanaba's Marina is awesome, with great facilities, a fun escape for transients. Marina is full-service with a total of 165 boat slips with designated seasonal and transient berthing. Vessels berthed in the marina are surrounded by a beautiful park setting with access to one of the finest cruising and fishing areas on the Great Lakes.

Marina: N 45° 44' 34" / W 87° 02' 05"

airalmarina.jpg
 
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920richardf said:
Cheryl Werth
and she and the staff do a great job.
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Cheryl and her staff run the finest marina operation on the great lakes. Elk Rapids may not have the finest facilities (although it's very nice) but I guarantee there's not a better managed marina anywhere. Those people work their butts off and will do whatever is necessary to accomodate their customers. We were there one hot day and their ice delivery failed to show. She went elsewhere and purchased ice at retail so the marina patrons had ice available. Ice was delivered about midnight. Cheryl was there to receive the supply. Just one of many examples of service above and beyond we have witnessed in our 3 or 4 stays there over the past several years.
 
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